Meadowcroft, a Sutton care home and part of Exemplar Health Care, donated 265 advent calendars and selection boxes to children at Kingsway Primary School, Kirkby, just before Christmas.

Staff donated a range of items and raised additional funds through a cake sale, which allowed the home to buy further advent calendars and selection boxes to ensure no child missed out.

The idea was inspired by Blackmoor care home in Birmingham, another Exemplar Health Care facility, which organised a collection led by clinical nurse manager Anna-Marie Hale.

“We wanted to do something meaningful to celebrate the festive season and support children in our community,” she said.

“An advent calendar might seem like a small gesture, but it carries the excitement of Christmas and reminds children that they are thought of.”

Charlie Mills, deputy manager at Meadowcroft Care Home, added: “This was our first time taking part in an advent calendar collection, and it was amazing to see how the whole team and community came together.

“The response was incredible, and delivering the donations to the children was truly magical — seeing their happy faces made it all worthwhile.”

The donations were delivered by Charlie and Ellie Judd, life skills lead, who said: “Moments like these show the impact we can have when we come together. It was such a privilege to deliver these gifts and to see the joy they brought to the children.”

Kingsway Primary head teacher Sam Bradbury said: “The children were overjoyed, and it brought so much excitement to our school during the festive season.

“It’s wonderful to see such kindness in our community.”

Meadowcroft care home provides nursing care for adults living with complex needs arising from mental health conditions.